Circuit-continuing device



Oct. 14, 1930. H, U S 1,778,186

CIRCUIT CONTINUING DEVICE Filed May 9, 1929 Patented Get. 14, 1939 nearOFFICE HARRY A. DOUGLAS, OF BRONSON, MICHIGAN CIRO'U ET-CONTINUINGDEVICE Application filed May 9, 1929.

My invention relates to circuit continuing devices of the type shown inmy prior Patent 1,734,565, November 5, 1929, and is of particularservice in connection with those circuit continuing devices which are inform of incandescent lamps, thougi'i the vention is not to be thus limitd.

The lamp or other circuit continuing de vice is inclusive of a contactcarrier which would be the base or plug of the lamp if such be employed.1 provide an actuator which is assembled with the contact carrying plugfor shifting the position of this plug to break or establish the circuitthat is inclusive of the contact structure thereon. Where the inventionis embodied in connection with an incandescent electric lamp theactuator is in the form of a cowl which is coupled with the lamp foreiecting the control of the circuit that contains the lamp. in tl epreferred en'ibodimcnt 01" the invent'cn the actuator or cowl is movablealong the axis of the plug or lamp base and then constitutes anactuatingplunger. The plunger by its inward movement establishes thecircuit and by its outward movement opens the circuit. A spring isprovided which normally places the plunger in its outermost position. Ifthe plunger is in the form of a cowl, a light transmitting opening isdesirably provided in the side of the cowl and the cowl is rotatable toadjust the position of the opening to determine the direction in whichthe light is to shine.

I will explain my invention more fully by reference to the accompanyingdrawing in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation illustrati the preferredembodiment of the invention, a portion being broken away and some partsbeing shown in section; Fig. 2 is a view taken at right angles to thedirection in which Fig. 1 is taken, parts being shown in section; Fig. 3is a sectional view on line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. l is a sectional view online iel of Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line 55 of Fig. 2.

The structure illustrated is inclusive of a1 generally cylindrical shell1 which is reduced at one end and there threaded to receive a nut 2which is employed to clamp the shoul- Serial No. 361,675.

der 8 of the shell in assembly with a support i, which support may bethe dash-board oi an automotive vehicle. The larger part of the casingmay be surrounded by a finishing sheath 5. l have shown a distancepreserving hollow washer 6 which may be interposed between thenut andthe support. T he shell constitutes a contact carrier to which endcontact carrier ring 7, of insulation, is assembled with the rear end ofthe shell. This ring of insulation is provided with a inetillic bushing8 that receives a metallic sleeve 9 which is slidable in the bore of thebushing. A circuit continuing conductor 10 enters the sleeve 9 and iselectrically connected with a contact button 11 at the inner end of thesleeve. A coil spring 12 surrounds the portion of the sleeve that iswithin the casing. One end of this spring presses against the bushingand the other end presses against the contact button whereby this buttonis forwardly pressed. The limit to which the button may be iorwardlypressed is determined by the flange 13 which is provided upon the rearend of the sleeve 9, this flange being adapted for abutting engagementwith the bushing. A contact is, which is complemental to the contact 11,is provided upon a plug 15. This plug, in the embodiment of theinvention illustrated, also constitutes a base of an incandescent lamp.A filament 16 of this lamp is located within the glass bulb 17 and hasone terminal connected with the contact button 14. The other terminal ofthis filament is connected with ametallic sheath l he lamp socket 18 isprovided with diametrically opposite bayonet channels 19 which receivethe bayonet pins or projections 20 that are provided upon and projectlaterally from the plug 15. These bayonet pins or projections arereceivable at the front ends of the bayonet channels and pass along thebayonet channels longitudinally oi the structure until the inner ends ofthe channels are reached whereafter the plug is turned to bring the saidbayonet projections into the bayonet seats.

A coil spring 21 surrounds the lamp socket and is bottomed upon theshoulder 8. The outer end of the spring presses against the flange 22which is formed upon the front end of the socket whereby the socket maybe The shelll is formed with two diametrically opposite bayonet slots orchannels each havmg an entrance 24 extending along the strucseats25 and26 for bayonet pins. The seats 7 1n; outwardly and inwardly directedtongues ture and a transverse branch affording two 25 are furtherforward than the seats 26.

I 'providean actuator for moving the lamp socket andthe contact carryingbase therein to control the lamp circuit. This actuator is preferably inthevform' of a generally cylindrical cowl27 that desirably hasabuttingand tight telescopic engagement with the lamp socket. To thisend the lamp socket flange is desirably formed with rearwardcontinuations that extend rearwardly and which are desirably in the formof spring fingers 28 which, when free, expand at their tips beyond thediameter of the bore of thecowl so as to have tight engagementwiththecowl when the cowl is slipped in place. The cowl is defsirably formedwith an internal head 29 which has abutting V engagement with the socketflange 22 to enable the cowl, whenrearwardly pressed, to move the lampsocket and the parts carried by the lamp sockets rearwardlyagainst theforce of the spring 21 to establish the lamp circuit. It was hithertostated that one terminal of the filament 16 was connected opening 33 inthe lamp socket,t he rear border of this opening being engaged with therear end of the tongue by the spring 21 when the cowl is removed. Inorder to keep the lamp from rattling within its socket, I form thesocket with an inwardly projecting spring tongue 34 which engages asideof the lamp.

Changes may be made without departing from the invention.

' Having thus described my invention, I claim: 7 I I Thecombination'with a shell reduced at one end to form a shoulder; of asocket sur rounded by the shell and r'eciprocable thereon one end of thesocket, a spring surrounding the socket w th one end bearing againstsaid shoulder, and lts other end against the outwardly directed portionsof said tongues, a-

plug within the socket, 'complemental contacts respectively carried bythe plug and shell, and a plunger telescopically engaged upon the.inwardly directed portions of the tonguesof the socket and having acircumscribing abutment engaging the outwardly directed portions ofthetongues whereby said socket may be inwardly moved against the force ofsaid spring by pressure on the plunger, said socket and shell havinginterengaging formations for holding the socket in position to maintainsaid contacts in engagement. 7

, In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name.

' I IAIitRY withthe contact button 14. The cowl-carries twodiametrically opposite bayonet pins 23 V which cooperate respectivelywith the bayonet slots ofthe'shell 1. When the bayonet pins 18 arewithin the seats 25, the spring 21 is ;permitted tomove the lamp socketforwardly to 'separate'the contacts. When the bayonet pins are'withinthe inner seats 26, the socket 'is held in an inward position againstthe force of spring 21 to establishengagement between the contacts. Thecowl is provided with an opening 30 at its front end and in the regionof the lampv bulb to enablethe light to shine ed to change the directionin which the light may emanate from the lamp. Thefront end may beconveniently manipulated to establish the lamp circuit and-to shift thedirectionin which the light is to-shine. V

In order to limit'the extent to which the "lamp socket may beforwardlyprojected by thespring 21 whenthe cowl isremoved, I

provide a tongue-.32 upon the shell and an i "of thecowl' is desirablydome shaped to con- I V stitute apushbutton-31 by which the cowl Ilia

